Bottle lock



L. P. BAR LOW March 8, 1938.

BOTTLE LOCK Filed Jan. 15, 1935 11v VENTOR 04.41% ffimzw A TTORNb Y MAM Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to a bottle intended to insure the genuineness of its contents at the time of the purchase of the bottle and its contents by the ultimate consumer. Bottles of this general class have particular utility at the present time in the marketing of wine, whiskey and other spirituous liquors.

Because of the activities of bootleggers, who have operated to defraud the United States Government of taxes by utilizing old bottles, particularly bottles which have contained some of the better and more widely advertised brands of spirituous liquors, which they refill and seal with counterfeit seals, and because of the consequent defrauding of legitimate distillers of good whiskies and the makers of other spirituous liquors, considerable inventive efiort has been directed toward the discovery of a bottle which would completely foil the bootlegger.

These efforts have been mainly along two lines: in the field of what are known as non-refillable bottles, that is, bottles which retain their identity but are supposed to be so designed that when the contents are removed they cannot be refilled, and in the field of what I prefer to term nonrepackageable bottles, that is, bottles which when once opened may never again be refilled and resold as an original package because, in the act of opening the bottle, an integral portion of the bottle must be destroyed.

Because of the fact that bottles are necessarily made of glass which, even when annealed by the most modern annealing methods, still has extensive internal strains, attempts heretofore made to provide a satisfactory non-repackageable bottle, particularly for use in the marketing of spirituous liquors, have proved to be abortive. These attemlpts to design a non-repackageable bottle, which necessarily involve a breaking away from the bottle structure of what has been an integral portion thereof, have been of such design and character that splintering or slivering of the glass practically always occurs in the breaking operation and that, in addition, there is apt to appear upon the part of the bottle which remains, an extremely sharp and frequently jagged edge likely to injure the hand of the user. Also, the breaking could not be controlled so as tofollow a definite line of cleavage which could be depended upon. It will be readily appreciated that in this art the breakage must be certain and along definite lines in each case. Even one bad break in five thousand bottles would make a particular type of bottle unsatisfactory, For this reason, there is not on the market today a single A non-repackageable bottle as herein defined.

Even in those cases where the bottles have been so designed that the slivers or splinters of glass would not be likely to remain in such position as to appear later in the drink itself, no attempt has been made to eliminate automatically the danger due to the leaving of sharp and/ or jagged edges on the bottle itself. Moreover, it is obvious that the splintering or slivering of the glass in the act of opening the bottle, with the consequential scattering of the splinters or slivers about the point of opening, is objectionable, as anyone will appreciate who has undertaken to locate glass splinters or slivers on floors or rugs. This is especially true when bottles are opened in private homes, as is so commonly the practice under the present methods of vending spirituous liquors.

A further reason why so many attempts heretofore to make non-repackageable bottles have proved to be abortive is that their designs have been impracticable from the standpoint of economical manufacture in bottle making plants.

The present invention aims generally so to design and construct a bottle of the nonrepackageable type as to eliminate the objections in part above recited which have rendered the attempts heretofore made to solve the non-repackageable bottle problem abortive.

More particularly the invention aims to pro- I vide a bottle, so constructed as to require the breaking from the bottle of an integral portion thereof to obtain access to its contents, which is also so designed and constructed that the breaking act may be performed with consistency with the practical elimination of liability to the formation of splinters or slivers.

The invention further aims to insure that in the rare event that slivers or splinters should be formed there will be no scattering of these about the point of the bottle opening and no danger of their ever either entering the bottle or any container into which its contents may be poured nor of their in any way injuring the one who opens the bottle or anyone who thereafter uses it.

In addition to providing for a splinterless breaking off of the removable part of the bottle and for insurance against scattering splinters in the rare event of a defectively annealed bottle not responding to the normally to be expected rupturing action, the invention aims toinsure that there will be left exposed on the opened bottle no sharp and/or jagged edges which could in anyway injure the user of the bottle.

In addition to providing a bottle requiring the destruction of a, portion thereof to obtain access to its contents, which will overcome the objections to bottles of this type heretofore designed,

is molded into its final shape, the entire bottle, 2

including the neck, is thoroughly annealed. This annealing operation results in a substantially uniform distribution of the surfacestrain over the entire surface of the bottle, both inside and From this is will be apparent that if any;

out. weakening of the structure is to be provided for the purpose of directing a fracture, it will not be effective to prevent splintering if the weakening slot, or depression, or hole, or whatever is designed for this purpose, be molded into the structure during the molding of the bottle, since its surfaces willbe subjected to the same annealing operation and therefore will have distributed over them their proportion of the surface tension. This has been one of the causes of the failure of non -r'epackageable bottles'heretofore designed.

I have discovered that by cutting a slot in the bottle neck after the bottle has been completed,'including the annealing operation, and

initiate-a plane of cleavage, orsometimes two planes of cleavage because, of course,'the slot has substantial width, which insure the rupture of the upper part of the bottle neck from the part toremainon the bottle when opened with substantial freedom from'splintering or slivering. In fact, splintering or slivering is an extremely rare occurrence. When I speak of two planes of cleavage I, am referring to the fact that when the sides of the slotare spread to effect the rupture of the removable portion of the neck from thepart which remains integral-with the bottle as, for example; by the use of the keyhereinafter more specifically to be described, the plane of cleavage may coincide with the upper wall of the slot at one end and with the lower wall of the slot at the other. end. However, the fact that there is a slight initial spacing of the two planes of cleavage does not appear to affect the As above suggested, the slot cut into the bot tle neck-to initiate and define the location, of the cleavage plane is of'such a nature that when a spreading force is directed against the Walls thereof it will effect the rupturing of the removable part of the bottleneck; 'I find that a very desirable method of applying this spreading force to the walls of the slot to secure the desired uniformity of rupturing action is to use a tool exerting a cam action-on the slot as, for example, a key having one ofits dimensions such that it will readily enterthe slot and its dimension, when turned, suchythat 'it effects the desired spreading action; I; have, found also that ,byshaping the slot in a particular manner I can first apply'the rupturing force to a tapering section of the neck at each end of the slot, and then to the full cross section of the neck. This facilitates greatly the obtaining of a rupturing action rather than a sharp snapping and breaking of the neck.

The cleavage plane defining and initiating slot being preferably cut through both surfaces of the bottle neck so that it makes an opening through the neck wall, it is desirable; in order that the bottle may bev adapted'for filling by .the modern vacuum filling processes, that this opening be closed in some manner at the time the bottle is to b e filled. I

An "important feature of the invention is the utilization of aresilient flexible covering member for performing at least three important func- First,.by its contracting action, when the bottie is opened by removing the upper part of the neck after rupturingto shieldthepart of the rupture remaining on the bottle so that it will not'come into' contact with the hands of the user; secondly, to'cover-the area of severance and to maintain the severed portion in position after severance; and in 'therear event that slivers or splinters may break off in therupturing operation, to cover and confine. these against movement away from the bottle and against" contact with the hands .of the'user, and, thirdly, while still in positionzon= the bottle before rupturing of the removable, portionpof the neck, to serve as a closure for the slot to permit vacuum filling of the bottle, to keep dirtvandidust out of the slot and to:- act as a valve to relieve any pressurethat might :-form,.in the enclosed space above the bottle,v stopper hereinafter to be'referred to.

It will be, obvious that any internal pressures being exerted on the removable part of the bot,- tle neck at the-time rupturing pressure is exertedathereonwill tend, to {interfere with the uniformity of; the rupturing or..ripping action and therefore might cause undesirable shattering. j -Itwil1-be noted also ,that lthis covering. memher is useful ,in other ways.- For example, by reason of its being located over the rupturing slot it 'is'necessary. that:the;key be pushed through the coveringrnember to ente1;;the slot whichinas it is withdrawn, the covering member being preferably; formed of some highly, resilient material'like'rubber: I

The removable portion. of the bottle neck, to which attention has been particularly directed hereinabove, preferably forms the =maj or part of an enclosinggchamber for the bottle stopper proper; the bottle stopperremaining in the bottle when the removable part of .the neck has been broken away "from the bottle but being then readily removable by-hand so that the user may open andclose the bottle atv will until the contents, are. removedl.

Important features, of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of the bottle stoppingmeans to permit the removal of the F upper part of the bottle neck without interference therewith and to permit ready utilization of the bottle stopper after the'removable part of the neck has been broken off. v

' It is desirable, from the standpoint of convenient manipulation of thebottle stopper, that it be located above the plane of fracture of the removable part of the bottle neck from the bot-.

ient to assemble, I provide a hollow cork extending through a restricted portion of the bottle neck and a stopper fitting into this hollow cork, this hollow cork preferably extending above the restricted portion of the neck into the enlarged chamber provided by the removable portion of the neck and there being reinforced by a metal ferrule surrounding it so that it cannot be ruptured or otherwise injured by the act of inserting and removing the stopper. The metal ferrule also protects it against injury during the operation of breaking off the removable part of the bottle neck. In addition the ferrule forms a limit surface against which the resilient covering member may contract as the upper severed neck portion is removed, and for the purposes already indicated and hereinafter emphasized.

Important features of the invention are the arrangement of this cork extension and its surrounding ferrule in a chamber formed by a removable part of the'bottle neck which has its inner wall so spaced from the cork ferrule that the rupturing operation ordinarily will not cause engagement of the removable part of the bottle neck with the ferrule; the location of the rupture-initiating slot at a point sufficiently above the restricted portion of the bottle neck and Within the enlarged portion thereof as to provide a cavity into which, in the rare event of the formation of slivers or splinters, these slivers or splinters may fall or be forced by the contracting action of the surrounding resilient sleeve and the provision of a shoulder upon which the ferrule seats itself both to determine the position of the cork and to provide a positive stop for the stopper, thereby positively locating the upper face of the stopper at a predetermined point in the bottle neck.

Other important features of the invention to which specific reference has not been made hereinabove are the provision on the outside of the bottle neck of a rib or bead extending both above and below the ferrule-supporting shoulder hereinabove referred to and having the important functions of facilitating the casting of the inside shoulder, providing reinforcement of the neck structure at this point and serving as a retaining device for the resilient covering member, as hereinafter indicated; the tapering of the outside face of the removable portion of the bottle neck in such manner that the resilient covering member tends to lift the removable section away from the part integral with the bottle, immediately upon rupture, thereby preventing any tendency of the two ruptured faces to grind against each other when the bottle user starts to pull the removable section out of the surrounding covering; the formation of a bead or rib upon the upper margin of the bottle neck to permit the formation of a shoulder for the seal by which the bottle is rendered tamper-proof, and the provision of indicia by which the rupture-initiating slot may be located to permit the ready insertion of the key through the covering member into the slot.

While I have discussed generally the subjectmatter of my invention and the means embodied therein, it will readily be understood that there are other features which will be apparent after study of the detailed description of the invention and which I may refer to incidentally in the detailed description. For the detailed description I will refer to the accompanying drawing where- Figure l is an elevation of the invention applied to the neck of a bottle;

Figure 2 is a section through the bottle neck of Figure 1 showing the use of the rupture-initiating key;

Figure 3 shows the bottle neck and its covering after the upper portion has been broken off;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the broken off upper portion;

Figure 5 is a section of the slot-engaging part of the key shown in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detailed section showing the mode of operation of the key;

Figure '7 is a section of the bottle neck showing the slot cut therein;

Figure 8 is an elevation of the resilient sleeve member forming a part of the illustrative embodiment of my invention;

Figure 9 shows a modification of the mean for indicating the location of the slot.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ing, reference numeral l indicates the neck of a bottle, the construction of which is best illustrated in Figure 2. Into the restricted portion of that part of the bottle neck which is to remain a permanent part of the bottle, is inserted the hollow cork H provided with a ferrule l2 which abuts against a shoulder l3 and limits the inward movement of the cork II. The cork II is, however, preferably long enough so that it extends downward into the bottle beyond the most restricted portion of the neck in order to expand into an enlarged portion and thus resist too easy removal. The ferrule l2 preferably extends over the upper edge of the cork II and thus provides an abutment for the head N of a stopper l5 which may be made of porcelain or any other suitable material and which serves with the cork to provide an effective closure of the bottle and convenient access to its contents when the removable portion of the bottle neck hereinafter to be described has been broken away from the permanent structure of the bottle.

The bottle neck above the shoulder I3 is of such inside dimensions that a space is preferably provided between the ferrule I2 and the inner wall of the bottle neck to prevent the rupturing of the removable portion of the bottle neck from the permanent structure from interfering with the main bottleclosure and to prevent the cork and its surrounding ferrule I2 and the stopper I6 from interfering with the rupturing action. As shown in the drawing, the inner wall of the part of the bottle neck above the shoulder l3 tapers uniformly up to the shoulder or seat 34 hereinafter to be described.

The bottle neck is sealed above the stopper head E6 to prevent access thereto, except by breaking off the upper part of the bottleneck in the manner hereinafter to be described, in the following manner:

Above the head N5 of the stopper I5 is placed a fibrous washer member H which supports a layer of cement l8 while the same is hardening, the cement being of a type having the same acidresisting properties as glass so that it cannot be removed by acids without at the same time showing, by injury to the bottle neck itself, that the bottle has been tampered with. The cement 18 also serves to lock in position a cap [9 which may be made of metal or any other suitable material. If desired, the cap it may also be made of glass. The shoulder or seat 34 provided in the upper end of the bottle serves two purposes,--it serves to locate the cap l9'and also to providean abutmentwiwhich' prevents any I possibility of working a tool past the cap to the under side of the layerof cement I8. I a

ItRWIILbB understood that the fibrous member l1 serves both to prevent the dropping of the cementbelow .the desired level, in other words, ,as

, abottom form for the molding operatiomand at 18 8811113 time actsasa cushion between the stopper head IBand the cement layer I8, when set, so thatsuch pressure as wouldnormally be exerted on the stopper llieither by expansion of'the bottle contentsor by expansion of the cement would not cause undesirable strains, interfering with aneasy rupturing or ripping. action, but

would be taken up by the yielding-of. the cushion Ila-Expansion in the chamber formed in the upper part of the bottleneck itself will vent itself through the slot hereinafter to be described. A pressure-relieving space 20 1s also "preferably provided between the upper surface '01 the cement layer [8 and the sealing member I9,

- As 'I have indicatedhereinabove, the bottle is molded into is finalshape, with the exception of the formation of the slot, andthoroughly annealed before therupture-initiating slot is formed. This slot isthen formed by cutting, the bottle neck being placed in a suitable cutting machine,

for example, one provided with arubber bound abrasive wheel which cuts a groove 2| in the neck l0,as is best shown in Figure '7. g

This groove or slot, as shown in Figure 7, preferably extends through both surfaces ofthe bottle neck,both the outer and inner. surface,so

that the cleavage plane thus initiated extends through both bottle surfaces in which the strains have been substantially-uniformly distributed by meansof the annealing operation.- This creates whatissometimes designated as'a weak section which ,has essentially a tendencyto fracture, whenspreading pressureis brought to bear upon the walls 'ofthe'slot or'groove'2 I in aplane across the-bottle neck coinciding substantially :with what may be designated'as the plane of the groove or slot 2|. It will also be noted'that any spreading pressure brought to bear against the walls of the slot will first act against'the sharply tapered portions of the remaining neck section and then against the full neck cross section;

In.-addition,- the'groove or slot 2| is preferably cut; so that its plane is substantially normal to the-axis of the bottle neckand therefore the cleavagexplane' will be substantially normal to' Figure 5 illustrates the spreading section of the key 22,-this section being denoted by the reference numeral 23,- g

'Figure 6 illustrates the action of thesection 23 in-the slot 2|. It willbe observed that" during the major rotation'of the portion 23 within the slot 2| it does'not exert any substantial spreading force. on the two wallsof the slot. During the last;part 'of-itsmovement it acts to separate the upper -and lower walls, this spreading action being substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle neck, This exertion of a steady vertical pressure separating thetwo walls of the slot effects a progressive fracture of thebottle neck, starting from each tapered end of the slotted section, which might be compared to a ripping action and which proceedswithout the formation of slivers or splinters of glass. It should be emphasized here that the substantial heighth of the portion Illa of the removable neck is intentionally provided 'for. The portion Illamust be rigid and unyielding in order that a real ripping action be obtained along the axis of the slot. The substantial heighth of portion Illa contributes this rigidity.

It willbe noted that'the slot 2| is cut in the bottle neck substantially at-the line of junction of the enlarged-rib or bead portion ll of the neck with the upper part of the'neck, and it is important that the cleavage plane initiated by thisslot be substantially coincident with the plane of this line of junction. To insure this with absolute accuracy, definite relationships are established between the top of the bottle neck and the various other features characterizing this invention, such as therlocation of the bead M, the shoulder l3, etc. and therefore, when cutting the slot 2|, the cutting tool may be given its cutting location by reference to the top of the bottle neck as, for example, by a suitable gage resting against said top. At this point it will be well to indicate also that the bottle neck is tapered outwardly both upwardly and downwardly from the slot. This tapering is, I have found, very important in confining the severing to the plane'of the slot 2|, upon action of the tool. r

In connection with my invention and constituting a part thereof in the preferred embodiment, I employ a resilient rubber sleeve member liwhich has a series of functions. place, it is very important that bottles be so constructed that they may be filled by recently de vised vacuum filling systems. My sleeve 25 serves,

' asshown in Figure l, to close the slot 2| and thus to permit vacuum filling of the bottle, the closing by the sleeve being substantially a sealing action. Although'the rupturing action, whichseparates the upper half Illa of the bottle neck from'the permanent bottle structure, takes place consistently and almost without exception without the formation of any splinters or slivers of glass; in order to insure against possibly defectively annealed'bottles, the sleeve 25 extends sufflciently above the cleavage plane so that if splinters or slivers of glass should be accidentally formed they will be prevented from fiying away from the bottle or from being left in such a position'that they could in any way mix with the contents of the bottle. a

As best illustrated in Figure'2, the sleeve 25 is so placed that it must be pierced :by the key 22. Naturally the outward movementof the key after it has performed its spreadingfunction will permitthe resilient member 25 to wipe off the blade 23., When the upperportion la is then pulled upward, the shape of the sleeve and the shapeof this portion initiating a short separating movement at the time of rupture, the upper bead 26 of the sleeve will snap inward against the ferrule l2, thereby forming a pocket into which anyslivers' or splinters of glass that, in a rare event, might accidentally be formed would. be forced and confined, the head 26 and the immediately adjacent "portions of the resilient member 25 forming a shield over the section 21 of the rut ture, aswill be quite apparent. It will also 'be quite apparent that the bead or rib H of theneck will serveto maintain the sleeve 25 in the position shown in Figure 3, the sleeve 25 being also pref- In the first a erably provided with a bead on its lower edge to reinforce the resiliency or" the sleeve at that point.

In View of the description just presented, it will be quite obvious that the sleeve 25 serves to permit vacuum filling, to wipe off the severing or spreading key as it leaves the severed section, to cover the point of rupture or severance at the time of the severing action, to snap over the rough or severed section to cover the same when the severed portion is removed and to form a. pocket with the ferrule to receive fragments of glass in the very rare event that any should be formed.

In order to indicate the position where the cutting end of the blade 23 of the key is to pierce the covering member 25, a colored dash 28 may be imprinted on the member, as best shown in Figure 1. The vertical plane of the cutting position will preferably be indicated by an arrow 29 molded into the bottle neck In Figure 9 I show a modified form of the covering member 25 in which the lower bead 30 of the sleeve 25 extends downwardly against a bottom shoulder 3! on the neck, which serves to facilitate the proper location of the sleeve on the bottle neck and to insure its maintenance in such location. I also show a modified form of indicating means comprising a pair of lugs 32 molded integral with the bottle neck and serving to press outwardly a portion of the member 25, thereby to indicate the position of the slot 2|.

It is also to be noted that, in all forms of the invention, the slot 2| and the shoulder l3 are so offset vertically that, in the event that slot 2! should carelessly be cut in a plane slightly inclined to the axis of the neck, the cleavage plane will not run below the shoulder 13, with the possibility of a sharp edge of the removable part Illa engaging and tending to pull out the cork I i.

The term rupturing has been used throughout the specification and in some of the claims to describe the breaking, fracturing or severing action which takes place when the key operates to remove the removable part of the bottle neck, the term rupturing having been selected as possibly more accurately descriptive of what actually takes place. As I have pointed out above, the parting of the two parts of the bottle takes place by a progressive movement starting at each tapered end of the slot 2| and is more analogous to a ripping action than the usual fracturing action that takes place when glass is cut. This possibly explains the complete absence of splinters, slivers, flakes or chips of glass in the ordinary operation of opening the bottle.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I believe that I have made a relatively broad contribution to the art in the field in which I am working. I feel entitled, therefore, to claims of the scope of those hereto appended.

This application as to common subject-matter is a continuation of my application Serial No. 738,953, filed August 8, 1934, for Letters Patent for improvements in Bottle looks.

I claim:

1. A bottle of the class described having a neck, said neck having a slot the walls of which present shearing edges at the outer surface of the neck and into which slot a tool may enter to exert a force to rupture the neck substantially along the axis of said slot, a covering member for said slot having a penetrable area between said shearing edges, and adapted to be penetrated by said tool when it is moved against said area and into said slot. I

2. A bottle of the class described having a neck, said neck having a slot into which a tool may enter to exert a force to sever the neck substantially in the plane of said slot, a hollow cork fitted into a portion of the neck below said slot, a shoulder on the neck, a ferrule on the cork adapted to impinge againstthe neck shoulder to determine the depth of insertion of the cork, that portion of the neck above said shoulder being of such size as to leave a space between the neck and ferrule, said slot being located above the neck shoulder.

3. A bottle of the class described having an outer neck, said neck having a slot into which a tool may enter to exert a force to sever the neck substantially in the plane of said slot, a pouring neck in the inside of said bottle and substantially coextensive with said outer neck, said slot being located in a portion of the outer neck opposite said pouring neck but below its pouring end, and a resilient member arranged about said neck and adapted to snap over the slotted and severed sections of the neck and against the surface of the pouring neck after the tool has operated and as the severed neck portion is removed.

l. A bottle of the class described having an outer neck, said neck having a slot into which a tool may enter to exert a force to sever the neck substantially in the plane of said slot, a pouring neck in the inside of said outer neck, substantially coextensive with said outer neck, and having a pouring end extending above the slot in the outer neck, and a resilient member arranged about said outer neck for piercing by a tool entering said slot and adapted to snap over the slotted and severed sections of the outer neck and against the inner pouring neck after the tool has operated and the severed neck portion is removed, the resilient member being so formed, and the neck portion on which it is mounted being so shaped, that the said resilient member is maintained in constant tension but is restrained against creeping upwardly on said neck, while adapted to snap against the inner pouring neck when the severed neck portion is removed.

5. A bottle of the class described having an integral outer neck permanently sealed, an inside pouring neck substantially coextensive with said outer neck, removable closer means for said inside neck inaccessible while said outer neck is integral and sealed, said outer neck having a slot into which a tool may enter to exert a force to sever the neck substantially in the plane of the slot, and a resilient member fitted about said outer neck for piercing by a tool entering said slot and adapted to snap over the slotted and severed sections of said neck after severance thereof and removal of the severed portion incidental to rendering said inside pouring neck and closure accessible.

6. A bottle neck for the purposes described comprising a portion having a substantially cylindrical passage and a top portion having a concentric passage of greater diameter, the inner Wall of the top portion being abruptly offset irom the inner wall of the first-mentioned portion to form a seat for an inner dispensing neck, an inner dispensing neck in said top portion and seated on said seat, said top portion having a rupture initiating cut extending through the wall thereof'in' a plane above said seat and substantially parallel thereto.

7; A bottle neck for; the purposes described comprising a portion havinga substantially cylindrical passage and a top portion having a concentric passage of greater diameter, theinner wall of the top portion being abruptly offset from the inner wall ofv the first-mentioned portion to form a seat for an inner dispensing neck,

said top portion having a' rupture initiating cut extending through the wall thereof in a-plane above said seat and substantially parallel thereto, a resilient guard covering said out and of such initial configurationth'at it moves into covering relation to the face and edges of the fracture on the permanent neck structure when the removable" top portion is severed therefrom ,to-render said inner neck accessible.

8. For rupturing a bottle having "a rupture been broken ofi, a key having a sharpend constructed to piece said shield and freely enter said slot in one position, and a section constructed,

to spread the walls of said slot when turned thereafter. 7 i r 9. In a bottle of the class described, abottle neck having concentric inner and outer surfaces, said neck having a slot cut through said surfaces with the angular extent of 'the slot on theouter surface greater than the angular extent of the slot on the inner-surface, whereby to leave a neck section terminating in sharply tapered portions for the purposes described.

10. A bottle having a neck with a slot therein adapted for the insertion of a tool medially thereof to apply rupturing pressure against the walls of the slot, the slot being so formed that the remaining section of the neck to be ruptured terminates at each end in points sharply tapered and with said points forming the portions of the j of said bottle neck, said neck tapering gradually for a substantial distance upwardly and out wardly from said slot.

12. A bottle neck having a rupture determining slot cut therein and traversing entirely the wall of said bottle neck, said neck tapering up wardly and. outwardly from said slot, the upper portion of the neck above the slot being 01' sub stantial heighth so as to form a relatively rigid body. a i

13. The method of breaking a bottle neck equipped with a slot and a resilient covering about the neck and covering said slot, which comprises inserting a sharp tool through the said covering and into the slot, and manipulating the'tooluin said slot to exert'a pressure to rupture theneck, whereby the severing of the'tneck will be accomplished in a covered and protected zonelwhile the tool will necessarily be wiped when removed from the slot. a l

LESTER P. BARLOW. 

